In the moonlight,
I felt your heart,
Quiver like a bow strings pulse,
In the moons fair light,
You looked at me,
Nobody knows your heart.
When the sun has gone, I see you,
Beautiful and haunting but cold,
Like the blade of a knife,
So sharp, so sweet,
Nobody knows your heart.
Who knows your sorrow grief or pain,
Locked away in the forest of the night,
You secret heart belongs to the world,
Of the things that sigh in the dark,
Oh the things that cry in the dark.
~Princess Mononoke song
In the Moonlight
I was awakened from blissful sleep by the sudden pain that coursed through my demon cursed arm. As I opened my eyes I realized I was in a cave, a warm fur covering me. Then I noticed her, lying peacefully asleep beside me.
She was beautiful as the pale moonlight shone upon her face, gentle as she slept and deadly while awake. Like a dagger, I would have welcomed that sharp blade as long as it carried with it sweet death. Death was probably the only way I could escape the pain and hatred.
As she curled deeper into the white wolf's skin that covered her I wondered if she had ever met a human before me. I realized that she had never before felt what I now did as I lay beside her, looking over her soft features. Nobody knew her heart. She was a creature of the forest, and they were the only ones whom she shared her secrets with.
I was pulled roughly from my thoughts as the pain sprang up again, like wild fire it leapt and brought my attentions back to it. I had to walk, to move, to do something to distract myself from the horrible pain that was eating me. I stood carefully as not to wake San and walked through the opening of the cave. I exited onto a rock that extended over the forest.
How had she gotten me up here? Had one of the wolves allowed her to set me on it? I didn't see Yakkul anywhere.
"You know you could always jump, boy. End it all. As soon as your strength returns the curse will spread and destroy you."
I turned to see Moro, resting on a ledge of rock above me. I knew she was right, but I did not wish to remain on the topic of my death.
"It feels like I've been asleep for weeks. I had a dream that San was by my side, nursing me."
"I was hoping you would cry out in your sleep. Then I would have bitten your head of to silence you."
I didn't doubt that she wouldn't have, but again, I wished to stray from my death. As I looked out at the treetops I recalled seeing the forest at day. I had thought it was wonderful, magical even then, but now, at night, all was silent save a few nocturnal creatures.
"It's a beautiful forest." I commented, then as an after thought, "Horokoto and the boars on the move yet?"
"Yes," Moro replied with what seemed to be contempt. "The boars are marching. The trees cry out as they die, but you cannot hear them. I lie here. I listen to the pain of the forest and feel the ach of the bullet in my chest, and I dream of the day when I will finally crunch that damn woman's head between my jaws."
"Moro," I asked, feeling the anger rise up within me. "Why can't the humans and the forest live in harmony? Why can't we stop this fighting now?"
"The humans are gathering for the finale battle, the flames of their guns will burn us all."
I felt my blood run hot. They would kill each other in this stupid battle, why couldn't they just live together in peace? "Then what happens to San? What's your plan let her die with you?"
"Typical," Moro spat, "selfish, you think like a human. San is my daughter; she is of the wolf tribe. When the forest dies, so does she."
"She's not a wolf, she's human!" the words escaped my lips before I had time to think them over. How could she let her daughter die?!
Moro snarled fiercely. "Silence boy! How dare you speak to a God like that! I caught her human parents defiling my forest. They threw their baby at my feet as they ran away." Moro snarled as she remembered the occurrence. "Instead of eating her, I raised her as my own. Now my poor, ugly, beautiful daughter is neither human nor wolf. How could you help her?" the last words Moro spat in rage, challenging me to come up with a better way to save San.
My rage was quelled for the moment, I wanted to take San with me to save her from the fate that I knew was hers, but I knew that she would not come with me. "I don't know." I bowed my head in thought, then added quickly, "But at least we might find a way to live." I refused to think of the worst, I wanted to remain hopeful, even if I got killed trying.
Moro's lips curled back in a toothy grin as she threw her head back and laughed. "How?" she said with amusement. "Will you join forces with San and fight the humans?"
I could feel my anger flare again, "No! All that would do is cause more hatred."
"There is nothing you can do boy. Soon the demon mark will spread and kill you. Now leave this place at sunrise. Return, and I shall kill you." Moro had seemed to dismiss me at that. I walked back into the cave and sat down on the furs beside San.
As I sat San woke and turned her sleepy gaze upon me. "You al right?" she asked.
I was startled, I had not ment to wake her. I smiled at San, trying to cover the concern and worry. "Yes, I'm fine thanks to you and the Forest Spirit."
San seemed at rest with this and nuzzled contentedly into her fur, falling asleep again.
How would, no could. How could I save her? How could I save the girl I had only just begun to love?
Well, what do you think? Please tell me if you think that if I kept Ashitaka in character. By the way, this is my first fic! ^.^